Presenting? Master The Segue

Help People Follow You: Create Transitions

"We'll be back after this message from..." There's a reason why TV and radio announcers use that line. It's designed to help you understand what's about to happen and how it's connected to the programming. In broadcasting it's called a "segue." How often have you watched a speaker end a sentence, click the next slide, speak, click the next slide, speak, click the next slide... and you're wondering,"How is this related to what I just saw?" That's what happens when presenters see their role as giving out information instead of telling a meaningful story.

Connect the Dots

This is what it sounds like when you're taking the audience along with you:

"We just saw the results of last month's marketing activity. Now let's look at what that means for this month's forecast." Click.

"If we decide on Alternative D, how will that impact staffing levels? Here's what we found..." Click.

"You asked how we're going to start up the Asian operation. Let's look at the first 3 steps." Click.

So the next time you have a presentation to design, think segue.Build a bridge from one thought or fact to the next and take your listeners with you. They'll appreciate it and you're stock as a communicator will skyrocket.

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Comments

Steve,
This is a great blog on the proper way to give a presentation. I have sat through a lot of presentations that did not seem to go together or even in church when the pastor is telling stories that do not seem to go together I wish that they would have used some sort of segue to tie everything together as they go along so they do not lose me. I really like the fact that you pointed out presenters should spend more time on the transition between the different pieces of their power point slide. This is essential for good communication from presenter to the audience. Every great speaker that I have heard has had a great foundation and even better segues between the different information they are presenting. In the book Communication Ethics Literacy they talk about the Unity of Contraries and state that “business and professional communication ethics protects and promotes the good of unity of direction and change,” (Arnett, Fritz, & Bell pg. 177). Change is inevitable for businesses to continue to be successful. In this day and age if you do not captivate the audience with a solid presentation then you will not make the sale or if you are not as exciting as a different salesman or presenter, then you could lose your job. Great posting on this minute detail that could make or break a presentation.